What are the characteristics of a medical professional?

Answer 1

There are many types of medical professionals.

For example, an emergency room (ER) doctor would carry shifts, day or night, or both, to meet certain time on weekly basis. I believe it's about 12 hours per shift, but this is very very tiring. Imagine yourself in a hospital emergency room where tons of sick people, whether internal, accidents, etc, come in and you practically have no free time. Because of this, even though you are given some free time off-shifts, you're often more tired than many other types of medical profession.

Another example is an internal medicine doctor. They usually get a diagnosing room for themselves and have patients visit for diagnosis. It's not as tiring as a surgeon or ER associate, but you get the idea.

Also, there are nurses in variety fields. You see nurses in the halls of hospitals, but they don't do as much as nurses in, say, ER.

Your question is too general to answer specifically.

A bit more:

First, to clarify a couple of things in the above answer, the question is not "too general to answer specifically". Also, ALL nurses work very hard, NOT just the ones in ER! Having worked in a hospital, I have seen first hand just how hard nurses do work, and how much responsibility they have. In addition to patient care, they also have to deal with demanding family members and rude, inconsiderate visitors, as well as some doctors who sometimes treat nurses as inferior to themselves.

Nurses also have a tremendous amount of paperwork to do, which is extremely time consuming. They are required to document every single thing about the patients, from the most minor things to the major, more serious issues, as well as all medications and treatments administered, any patient complaints, symptoms, etc. In addition, they are responsible for seeing that the proper medications, supplies, equipment, etc., are properly documented for billing purposes.

Also, a lot of nurses work long, hard shifts, especially with so many hospitals being short-staffed due to budget cuts. I have seen many nurses go for long periods at a time on their feet, with no break at all, not even for a meal. And many of them even end up having to pull a double shift, which is extremely difficult and tiring. Nurses have a tremendous responsibility in patient care, much more than many people realize.

They are far from being just "pill dispensers"; they are the ones responsible for administering medications and verifying that the proper medications and dosages are administered, wound care, dressing changes, monitoring patients's vital signs and the medical equipment the patient is using, as well as numerous other patient care needs. Nurses must be able to assess a patient's condition quickly and accurately, which can often mean the difference between life and death. They are also required to have knowledge and skill in using numerous types of medical machines, as well as being able to "read" a patient's symptoms when the patient isn't able to communicate them to the nurses themselves.

And, unlike many other jobs, nursing is one in which there is no allowance for error; just one mistake could cost a patient their life. So nurses have to be on full alert and paying attention at all times, no matter how tired they are, or how long they've been on their feet.

All of the above is also true of nurses who work in doctors' offices. They still have most of the same responsibilities as those who work in hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, home health, etc. So the next time you see a nurse having a cup of coffee or a soda, don't just assume they aren't working hard; it could very well be the only break they've had in hours. I know I would certainly prefer a nurse who isn't about to drop from exhaustion to administer my medications and treatment, so I would never criticize them for taking a break. Besides, if those who work regular nine to five desk jobs are allowed meal and coffee breaks, why should nurses deserve any less?

Now, to answer the original question, which is to give the characteristics required of a medical professional:

All disciplines of medical professionals, from doctors to nurses to respiratory therapists to laboratory technologists, etc., are required to display a high degree of professionalism at all times. They have to be respectful, polite, caring, and have a high standard of ethics in regard to not only the patient, but to their family members, as well. Caring for a patient often includes tending to the family's needs, too.

Those in the medical profession must be able to put personal feelings and their own emotions and opinions aside and focus on the patient and their family. This can be quite difficult when it comes to patients with a serious illness, especially when the patient has a terminal illness. They must remain calm, and display a professional, yet caring demeanor at all times.

From the clerical and billing staff, to the laboratory and x-ray personnel, etc., to the nursing staff and physicians, they all have a commitment to the patient to maintain their privacy, their dignity, and to provide the ultimate in patient care. They must be able to handle difficult situations with utmost professionalism, such as demanding patients and hostile family members. For example, during a medical crisis, the entire medical staff must be able to deal with the patient and their family with compassion and respect, while at the same time maintaining their focus on the needs of the patient.

And no matter how tired, frustrated, emotional or angry any of the medical staff may become, regardless of what discipline or branch of medicine in which they work, they must keep it to themselves and never let the patient or their family see their true feelings. In addition, those in the medical profession should never display any type of biased or racist behavior or feelings. This is the ultimate in professionalism - keeping their own emotions, feelings and opinions in check while on the job, and respecting the feelings, dignity, confidentiality, and privacy of the patient at all times. In other words, it's all about the patient and the patient's needs.

This also includes never discussing a patient to anyone other than those involved in the patient's care, no matter how ''interesting'' their particular situation may be. And even then, they should only discuss what is relevant to the patient's care, not their opinions or feelings about a patient's lifestyle, race, or other facts about the patient's personal situation.